Homeless man waives several charges to court
?A homeless Fayette County man already in trouble with police for allegedly making hundreds of prank calls to 911 waived several other charges filed against in an unrelated matter to court Thursday.
Chad Everett Cooper, 21, reached a tentative plea deal with prosecutors last month on several thousand charges stemming from hundreds of prank calls to the Fayette County 911 dispatch center to ask female dispatchers about their underwear.
Uniontown police Detective Donald M. Gmitter said Cooper was charged with 2,670 counts of stalking, harassment, obstruction of the administration of law and disorderly conduct for allegedly placing 445 prank calls to the 911 center over a two-week period beginning in mid-April.
During a preliminary hearing May 31 before Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros, Cooper waived all the charges against him to Fayette County Court after reaching a tentative plea agreement with Assistant District Attorney J.W. Eddy.
On Thursday, Cooper was back in court for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Randy S. Abraham on charges filed by state police regarding an alleged burglary committed in late April.
State police Trooper Christopher T. Cole said Cooper was charged with burglary, criminal trespassing, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.
During a hearing held Thursday before Abraham, the charges of burglary and criminal trespassing were dismissed and Cooper waived the remaining charges to Fayette County Court.
Cole said the charges were filed after Cooper and Justin Keith Shipp, 18, of Georges Township burglarized a residence at 212 Sand Road in Nicholson Township owned by Mary Baker of Masontown. Cole said the men broke into the residence and removed all the copper wire from the walls. Shipp and Cooper then broke all the windows at the residence before fleeing the scene with the copper, Cole said.
Shipp had similar charges filed against him, including conspiracy counts for each offense.
During a preliminary hearing Thursday, Abraham dismissed all the charges except receiving stolen property against Shipp, which he then waived to court.
Gmitter said the charges related to the bogus 911 calls were filed after 911 supervisor James Bittner contacted police to report the dispatch center on East Main Street in Uniontown had fielded dozens of calls from a man who would only speak to female dispatchers. Gmitter said the man would ask the female dispatchers questions about their underwear as well as various sex acts.
Gmitter said all of the calls came from the same cellphone number and said investigators were able to trace the phone to a residence in Masontown.
Gmitter said he and Capt. David J. Rutter went to the home and spoke to the homeowner who told police no one in the house used that cellphone service provider, but that the number did belong to a family member identified as Cooper.
The homeowner was then able to lead police to Cooper, who was living in a tent in an area on Rocks Works Road in Masontown.
Gmitter said that officers found the phone in Cooper’s possession and he admitted to making the calls.